The Library

26th April

In preparation for my visit to the Live Art Development agency library session I have come to my hometown library to practise!

This was my experience:


Walking around the isles of books, I already feel the overwhelming anxiety rising up.

It took me back to being at uni, looking blankly at the spines of books, unsure what I was looking for; lost in a sea of books.

Trying to read the spines is impossible and I have to touch the book. As I start to reach for it, I grab its spine. I can feel the anxiety melt away, with the heaviness of each book grounding me a bit more.

The tactile, weight of a hardback book is very comforting!

I start to enjoy this sensation and grab more!...
Before long I realise that I am hugging my every growing pile of books into my chest like a lost friend; 5 in total.
My excitement now, of which one to read first!

So here I sit
ready...

ARTISTS

From my research I have reconnected with many artists that I found inspiring at uni. They are:

1. Marina Abramovic- Ritual, body based 70's

2. Paul Mc Carthy- Presenting the grotesque in a comic way, popular entertainment with the grotesque

3. GILLIAN WEARING-public/private themes, dark subject matters based on human behavor and situations

4. Jeff Wall- narrative through photography

5. Bill Viola- subject matter of death, transience, birth and use of natural materials

6. Lorna Simpson- photography, film, invisble processes

7. Santiago Sierra- House of mud, 60's/70's

8. Martha Rosier- Links between everyday activities and wider political issues relating to gender. (SEMIOTICS OF THE KITCHEN 1975 video installation)

9. Cindy Sherman- identity masks public/private


It was a useful exercise to write a brief comment about each artists which at first was solely to remind me at a later date of who they are and so I can research them more in depth later..I realise now that what I have ACTUALLY done is highlight my particular angle of interests from each artist and therefore from writing this have gleemed an insight into what makes me tick!!